


How to Catch a Ladybug

by MightyMunchlax



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Lila catches feelings, Lila's perspective, Lila-meta, Post-Volpina, kind of, lila is in trouble, lilanette, other classmates in the background, slow-burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2018-11-04 05:39:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10984500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MightyMunchlax/pseuds/MightyMunchlax
Summary: After becoming akumatized on her first day at her school, Lila just wants to move on with her life when a sweet girl from her class steps up and befriends her. Lila appreciates the sentiment, that is, until she accidentally discovers that Marinette is Ladybug! Lila makes it her mission to steal her Miraculous as revenge for humiliating her, but that task proves harder than she thought.





	1. The Discovery

Moving to Paris should have been a fresh start for Lila Rossi, operative term being _should_ have. Granted, she _had_ gotten a little carried away with her lies, but she hadn’t expected people to really believe most of the things she made up. Her life was painfully average, and in a new environment, the temptation to spice things up a little had gotten the better of her. It wasn’t her fault that everyone believed her, and it certainly didn’t excuse Ladybug’s ugly behavior. If it weren’t for her, she could have had that model boy eating out of the palm of her hand by now. Everyone was bound to know that she was a liar now; she wouldn’t have doubted it if Adrien had told everyone, but she supposed she couldn’t have kept those lies up forever so maybe facing everyone now was a good thing.

Still, she felt a little nervous as she made her way up the steps into the school on her second day. Would everyone hate her? Suddenly she missed her friends back in Italy and wanted to go home, but she squared her shoulders and strutted through the front doors, bracing herself for whatever awaited her. Things were quiet much to her surprise, a few people greeted her, but she managed to make it to the locker room without incident. So far so good, but she knew the peace wouldn’t last.

“Um, Lila…” She turned to see a girl with black pigtails standing timidly before her. Vaguely Lila remembered that she was in her class, and she felt her spine stiffen a little.

“Hi,” Lila said, tilting her head to the side and observing her cautiously.

“I haven’t gotten a chance to introduce myself to you yet. I’m Marinette; we’re in the same class,” She explained, holding out a hand which Lila hesitantly shook.

“Nice to meet you,” She replied with a curt nod.

“Are you settling in okay? Moving to a new school must be rough. I can show you around if you want,” Marinette offered with a polite smile. She seemed friendly enough, and Lila obviously hadn’t spoken to her yesterday which meant she probably didn’t know about all her lies. Maybe she could use her as a shield.

“Wow, thank you! That would be so helpful,” She gasped, shutting her locker and slinging her bag over her shoulder.

“No problem.” She shook her head and led the way out of the locker room. “Um, this is the main courtyard. Lots of people gather here between classes to chat. Most people are super friendly though, so don’t be intimidated by their groups, and you can always come hang out with me and Alya, that’s my best friend. She runs the blog for the school.”

“Yeahh, I think I met her yesterday,” Lila said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and shrinking guiltily. That video was the root of all of her problems.

“Over there is Nino, Kim, and Max. They’re super friendly, I can introduce you if you want.” Marinette pointed to that kid with a red cap, a bigger buff kid, and a smaller dorky kid with glasses that Lila remembered speaking to briefly the day before. She hadn’t even gotten their names, and suddenly her stomach began to churn. Before she could respond, Marinette had already hailed them over, and Lila shrank back a little, hiding behind Marinette as they approached.

“Hey, Mari, what’s up?” Nino grinned, fist bumping her in greeting.

“Have you guys met Lila yet? I’m showing her around,” Marinette explained, stepping aside and pushing her forward.

“Yo, Lila!” Nino gasped, extending his fist to her which she touched lightly with her own as she eyed him skeptically. “We saw what happened on the news yesterday. Totally a bummer way to start out your new life.”

“What?” Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“You got akumatized. Man, it’s such a freaky experience.” Kim shuddered.

“It’s happened to you before?” She asked, tilting her head to the side as she attempted to make sense of what was happening.

“It’s happened to most of us, actually,” Max stated matter-of-factly.

“Welcome to the club!” Nino slapped her back. “What did you in?”

“Hey, Lila!” A much angrier voice called, and the group parted as that red-head with the blog, Alya she supposed, stormed up. Well, her acceptance was nice while it lasted. “That interview you did yesterday was totally fake! I saw Ladybug call you out on your lie yesterday.”

“Whoa, Ladybug called you out?” Nino gasped, sounding somewhat impressed.

“Yeah. What else did you lie about yesterday?” Alya growled, and all eyes flicked back to Lila who pursed her lips and glanced down at her feet. It was bound to happen sooner or later, and she desperately fished for a way to lessen the blow.

“Basically everything,” She admitted, and Nino tapped his chin in thought.

“So, you’ve never been in a movie?” He asked.

“I was an extra in an Italian high school drama once,” She offered.

“And you’ve never completed a triathlon?” Kim added.

“Nope.”

“So, it was _all_ a lie?” Nino frowned, and she felt her pits begin to sweat. She shrugged her shoulders and put on a mischievous grin.

“I may have embellished a little to have some fun on my first day in a new school. I mean, come on, who has such a fantastical life?” She kidded, and Nino smirked before throwing his head back with a laugh.

“You had us all going!” He cackled.

“You’re quite the prankster, I see, a girl after my own art. We should exchange tips later,” Kim punched her arm playfully.

“Honestly, if I ever transferred schools, I’d see how much I could get away with too. You’re like a pro,” Nino said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Alya smacked her forehead and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Come on, Al. You were a newbie here not too long ago. Don’t blame Lila for being more fun than you,” Nino teased, and the girl glared up at him with a challenging smirk.

“I wish you would have told me before I put it on my blog. Now I feel like an idiot!” She huffed, extending a hand to her. “I’ll be more wary of what you say in the future, just so you know.”

“That’s fair,” Lila giggled, shaking her hand as the school bell rang.

“Better get to class,” Marinette pointed out, and Nino steered her toward the stairs.

“So, what’s the deal around here? There’s an evil butterfly man that turns people into villains?” Lila asked as they walked.

“His name’s Hawkmoth. He uses people’s negative emotions to turn them into villains to try and get Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculouses. Most of us here have been akumatized, so don’t sweat it too hard,” Alya explained.

“Yeah, we’re all pretty used to it, but Ladybug and Chat Noir always take care of it, so we don’t have to worry about a thing,” Nino added, waving it away.

“I see.” Lila’s jaw clenched a little at the mention of that brat. “So, you’ve all been…akumatized or whatever too?”

“Yeah, just about everyone in class has been,” Kim replied.

“Except you, Marinette.” Alya glared suspiciously at her friend who laughed nervously.

“Marinette has too much positive energy. She’s always helping other people when they get bummed out. I don’t think there’s a lot that gets her in a mood, except maybe Chloe,” Kim teased, nudging her with his elbow.

“I always look on the bright side. Is that wrong?” She shot back.

“Come to think of it, Adrien hasn’t been akumatized before either,” Max added, tapping his chin in thought, and Lila winced a little at the mention of his name.

“Adrien’s just used to disappointment. Have you met his father?” Nino said pointedly, and Max and Kim conceded his point.

“But other than that, everyone else in class has been akumatized, so you’re in good company,” Alya continued with a shrug.

“Interesting.” Lila pursed her lips, spine stiffening a little when she laid eyes on Adrien in the front row. Nino fist bumped him as he slid into his seat and struck up a conversation. She averted her gaze and moved up to the top row where she sat next to a mop of the brightest red hair she’d ever seen on a person. She spent a good portion of the previous day pondering whether or not it was his natural hair color. She was still undecided.

It seemed as if everything had worked out somehow. Marinette continued to show her around and introduce her to everyone, and people there were pretty friendly despite her actions the day before. No one gave her too much grief for lying, in fact many people bought that she was joking, a nice save on her part. She learned lots of stories from other people about their experiences being akumatized, and she was shocked by how casual everyone was about it. It formed a sort of kinship for a lot of people that made them more understanding of each other. She also learned that everyone, and she did mean _everyone_ adored Paris’s superheroes. Each story was accompanied by some expression of gratitude or adoration for Ladybug and Chat Noir, and by the end of the day she was a little sick of listening to it, not that she told anyone. She had a feeling that admitting she harbored a grudge against the Bug might earn her a spot on everyone’s hit list, so she kept her mouth shut for once.

By the end of the day, she felt a lot better about her new life because at least the people were nice even if they did have an unhealthy obsession with two kids in tight suits. She could already tell it was going to be one of the most annoying things about going to school there. Oh, how she wished she were a superhero for real, so she could kick that smug little beetle out of the limelight. Thinking about it only made her blood boil more, so she took a calming breath and shut her locker.

“Hey, Alya and I are going to see a movie tomorrow, do you wanna come?” Marinette asked as she emptied her own locker.

“That sounds fun. I’d love to,” She accepted with a smile. Marinette was so nice, and she knew just about everyone. Everywhere they went all day, someone said hello to her, and Lila could see how it would be hard to upset her. She was just a ball of sweetness, and Lila couldn’t help but like her.

“Great, we usually meet at Alya’s then take the subway, but we can come-” A loud crash rattled the building, cutting Marinette short.

“What was that?” Lila’s eyebrows furrowed worriedly, and she instinctively moved closer to Marinette.

“Probably an akuma. You should find somewhere safe to hide,” Marinette said, slamming her locker shut and dashing to the door to the courtyard. “I’ll go scope things out.”

“Wait! It could be dangerous,” Lila called, but she was already out the door. She followed after her, peaking out into the courtyard where students were running for the main entrance. Lila glanced around for Marinette, but she was nowhere in sight, so she ran for the stairs that led to the library. How did people here put up with this? Once safely inside, she leaned against the door with a huff until she heard a voice. Curious, she investigated the source by peaking around the bookshelf to find Marinette with her back turned to Lila.

“Transform me!” She called, and in a flash of light, she changed right before Lila’s eyes. She felt her blood run cold, and before she could be spotted, she hid behind the front desk as Marinette raced back through the front door. Her heart pounded in her chest as the weight of realization settled in.

Marinette was Ladybug?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I joined a Lila discord, and they inspired me to write some Lilanette, so I came up with this idea! It’s going to be Lila-centric, so I think it will only be her perspective, but it should be fun. I have no idea how long it will be or when I’ll update it, I need to work on an upload schedule and work on some fics I’ve been sitting on for a while, but it will continue! 
> 
> This will also eventually probably be romantic between the two, so if that bothers you, turn back now. Cause I really don’t care to hear about it. I’m writing this for people who ship Lilanette and for fun. Take any ship hate elsewhere because I will delete any unnecessary comments about it. 
> 
> That being said, I hope you enjoy this! Leave me a comment if you did, and click my username to pull up all of my other works if you’re interested in reading some of my other stuff. Also follow me on tumblr (purrincess-chat) for fic updates, sneak peaks, and other Miraculous related content, and I’ll see you guys soon!


	2. According to Plan

Chapter 2: According to Plan

That conniving little faker! The only reason she was being so nice was to hide how horrible she really was on the inside, and Lila couldn’t believe she’d almost fallen for it. She wasn’t going to stand for it! That girl did _not_ deserve to be a hero after the way she treated a complete stranger. Sure, Lila, _had_ been lying, but she didn’t have to call her out like that in front of Adrien. What did she care anyways? Probably just jealous that she was taking attention away from her precious alter ego.

If only there was a way to get rid of her and knock her off her throne for good, then Lila could show the world how much better she was at being a hero than that brat. She needed to get her hands on those earrings, then she would be the new Ladybug, and Paris would have a _real_ hero. But how was she going to get her hands on them?

She eyed Marinette, who was chatting with Mylene in the courtyard, from the second floor with a pensive frown. Marinette wasn’t aware that Lila knew her secret, so she had that advantage at least. Maybe she could swipe them when Marinette took them off. That was bound to happen eventually, right? For now, she would continue to play her friend because stealing them would be a lot easier if she was part of her inner circle, so, swallowing her disgust and planting a friendly grin on her face, she marched down to Marinette with probably the smoothest mask she had ever worn. Lila was accustomed to lying. She was good at it, and acting was only a small extension of lying, so when she pulled Marinette into a tight hug, she didn’t suspect a thing.

“Thank you so much for showing me around yesterday. Moving can be so daunting, and I really appreciate your kindness,” She said energetically. “No wonder everyone loves you; you’re _such_ a good friend.”

“Oh, you’re welcome! As class representative, it’s my job to make sure everyone feels welcome,” She replied, waving it away.

“You’re good at your job. I feel a deep connection with you, and I’m really glad we’re friends,” She ran her fingers through Marinette’s hair and smiled. “Let’s hang out after school. I don’t know of many cool places in Paris yet.”

“Of course! I’d be happy to show you around,” Marinette agreed politely. Seems like Lila wasn’t the only good actress at the school. Marinette was better than she’d anticipated which was fine by Lila. It would only make stealing her Miraculous that much more rewarding.

“Hey, maybe we can get a group together. I’m sure Juleka and Rose would love to come as well,” Mylene suggested.

“Good idea! It’ll be more fun with a lot of friends.”

Drat.

It was going to be more difficult to get her hands on those earrings with more lingering eyes on her. Looks like her scheming was going to need a bit more time. She’d have to wait for the opportune moment to strike, but she could keep her charade up as long as Marinette could. In fact, she was going to take pleasure in forcefully befriending her.

x x x

Getting alone time with Marinette proved harder than Lila originally thought. She knew practically everyone in the school, and every time she suggested hanging out, someone always butted in. Little miss superhero was popular with or without the mask it seemed, which only vexed Lila more. Every time she changed schools, Lila had to work hard to make friends, but Marinette made it look so easy. In fact, Lila was certain that she’d hung out with more people in the last week than she had in several years.

 For a moment, she almost forgot what Marinette had done to her, losing herself in the lustful call of friendship, but she wasn’t so easily fooled. It was all a façade anyhow. She knew the feeling of malice was mutual between them and that any friendliness was just as fake as Lila’s smile each time they saw each other. Perhaps she was luring her friends on all of their escapades on purpose, so that she wouldn’t have to focus on pretending the whole time, which, Lila had to admit was a smart tactic as she herself was getting worn out.

Lila had always been a good liar, but she had to give credit where credit was due. Marinette was good. _Really_ good. In fact, she kind of admired her skill a little bit, and it pushed her to try harder. Every day her smile became more elastic, her laugh more convincing, and her excitement seemingly more genuine. If she was going to convince Marinette to trust her, she had to bring her A-game. This battle wasn’t one she could afford to lose. She just needed to get her alone.

“Good afternoon class,” Mme. Mendeleiev greeted, shutting the door behind her. “Today we will be covering the conservation of mass and energy, and then you will prepare a short presentation with a partner to present this Friday.”

Lila perked up a little. This could be her chance. All she needed was a little stroke of luck then those magical earrings would be all hers, and Paris would be rid of its pest problem. Then she could prove to Marinette that she was the better heroine after all, and the only one that Paris needs.

“Your group assignments are as follows: Adrien, Nino, and Alya, you will be a group of three to balance the odd number in the class.” Nino and Adrien fist bumped on the front row, and Mme. Mendeleiev continued. “Max and Kim, Juleka and Rose, Alix and Chloe-”

The pink haired girl sucked her teeth and slumped, and the blonde girl up front raised her hand in protest.

“Mme. Mendeleiev, you can’t possibly expect me to work with-”

“Deal with it, Chloe.” The blonde girl slumped with a low growl, prompting an eye roll from several classmates. “Ivan and Mylene, Sabrina and Nathaniel, and Marinette and Lila. I will not be reassigning groups, so don’t ask.” She shot a pointed look at Chloe, who pursed her lips sourly.

Lila sat back with a sly smirk. As it seemed, fate had smiled kindly upon her that day as Marinette glanced back at her with a cheerful grin. Now all Lila needed was a plan to get the earrings, and she was home free. Thinking about it, Marinette wouldn’t be able to do anything without revealing her own identity, how popular she could become if word got around that she was Ladybug. Then Adrien would really be eating out of the palm of her hand since she got the vibe that he had a thing for superheroines. Everything was going according to plan, now all Lila had to do was wait.

“I’m glad we got paired up to do the project, Lila. I’ve been having a lot of fun hanging out with you lately,” Marinette said after class as they headed to the locker room.

“Yeah, me too,” Lila lied smoothly.

“You’re not bummed that I got partnered with Adrien again, are you?” Alya asked with a wince, and Marinette shook her head.

“No, I mean, sure, I’d love to be in a group with him, but I’m okay if it’s you,” She said shyly, clasping her hands together in front of her. “I’m just glad Chloe didn’t get paired with either of us this time, and Sabrina got paired with someone else too, that must really be irking her.”

“Yeah, I feel bad for Alix though,” Alya remarked, glancing across the way where Chloe was lecturing a very bored-looking Alix.

“Oh well, at least maybe Chloe will have to do some work herself for once,” Marinette snorted then turned to Lila with a smile. “So, wanna come over to my house today to work on the project?”

“Absolutely. I’d love to,” Lila returned the expression with equal gusto, mentally gagging at how fake her voice sounded.

“Cool. I live just across the street, and my dad makes the best cookies you’ve ever had,” She said cheerfully, a slight spring in her step as they entered the locker room. Lila wondered what the beast’s parents were like, and she imagined ugly, decrepit creatures with sharp teeth and glowing red eyes.

“Can’t wait.”

            It was the moment she’d been waiting for all week. A chance to be alone with Marinette, and she was leading her right where Lila wanted. Soon enough the world would be rid of that horrible bug monster, and Lila would reign supreme.

“Welcome home, sweetie,” A surprisingly normal and round-toothed Mrs. Cheng greeted when they walked through the doors of the bakery.

“Hey, Mom,” Marinette replied, pecking her cheek. “This is my new friend Lila. We’re partners on a chemistry project, so we’ll be upstairs, okay?”

“Need some brain fuel?” The largest and most jolly man she’d ever seen asked, offering a plate of the most delicious smelling chocolate chip cookies, and Lila felt her mouth water a little.

“Thanks, Papa,” Marinette giggled, stretching up to kiss him.

Lila was a little taken aback by how sugary sweet they all were. She was certain that her family would be cold and authoritative to raise such a skilled liar like Marinette, but perhaps the apple didn’t fall far from the tree in that case. Maybe their whole nice act was just a front to hide their problems from the outside world.

“Your parents seem nice,” She commented, observing Marinette’s expression as she set the cookies down on the coffee table. If there was any sense of sorrow or disdain in her expression, Lila didn’t detect it, and her bright smile spread across her lips effortlessly.

“They are. They’re always happy when I bring friends home,” She said without missing a beat.

“Right.” She eyed the cookies on the plate wondering if they were poisoned or laced with some sort of sedative.

“You can have one,” Marinette urged, picking one up and chomping into it cheerfully. Lila pursed her lips, supposing that she wouldn’t eat one if they were harmful, so she grabbed one too while Marinette dug out her textbook. “So, why don’t we split up the chapter and pick out key points that we want to highlight and work from there?”

Lila hated to admit Marinette was right about the cookies being some of the best she’d ever eaten, and it boiled her blood that Marinette was so much better than her at everything. Better at lying, better at luring people in, better at getting attention. Lila hated her guts.

“Is everything alright?” Lila blinked, realizing she was glaring at the cookie, and she quickly plastered on a smile.

“Yeah, totally. That sounds great.”

“Awesome,” Marinette beamed, turning back to her book, and Lila’s scowl returned.

Things weren’t going according to plan, and she supposed that Marinette wasn’t going to go down without a fight. Nevertheless, Lila shoved the rest of her cookie into her mouth to mask her conspiring expression. She liked a challenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I’m back with this thing! It’s been quite a while, but I’ve been a little bit busy as of late. Hopefully this was worth the wait! I originally thought I wanted this to be 10 chapters, but I think I’m gonna shorten it down to 5. I have a ton of projects going on right now, and I’m trying to wrap up some old WIPs before I introduce new ones.   
> Thank you all for being patient! See you again soon!


	3. Chapter 3

 Chapter 3

Marinette was good.

Like _really_ good, and Lila hated every minute of it. Just that week, Marinette brought her a hand-knitted scarf that was so thoughtful and adorable, Lila had almost believed it was genuine. She still remembered the giddy expression on her stupid face when she’d opened it, and how pleased she was when Lila gushed about how much she loved it, which wasn’t an actual lie on her part as it was incredibly well-made. There was nothing wrong with appreciating perfectly good neckwear, but the kicker was when Marinette invited her to her birthday party that weekend, of course to force Lila to return the favor with a thoughtful gift of her own, the conniving little snake.

So now Lila perused the shops in town for the perfect gift for her favorite frenemy to show that she was indeed better at this game, but to her annoyance, nothing in any of the shops could top Marinette’s skilled needlework. What did one get the most treacherous snake in all of Paris? Lila wasn’t sure she’d ever find the answer until she walked past the jewelry shop where she’d bought her fox necklace and spotted a pair of Ladybug earrings in the window. How else should she let the ugly bug know she was onto her than with a pair of replica earrings?

Yes, they were perfect, and Lila was one step closer to ridding the world of Ladybug.

The fake earrings would also give her the perfect opportunity to snatch the real ones if she insisted that Marinette try them on at the party. With one sleight of hand, Lila could palm her earrings and be out of there before Marinette even realized what happened. The only fault in her plan was that she wouldn’t get to see the look on her face when she discovers that her precious Miraculous has disappeared.

It was a worthy price to pay if it got the job done, and afterward, they could stop pretending to like each other. Thinking about it made Lila’s stomach churn a little longingly, and she supposed in a way that she was going to miss the day-to-day exchanges they shared. Marinette had certainly done wonders for enhancing her acting abilities, and she did admire Marinette’s tenacity and commitment to her own charade. She’d never met anyone before that rivaled her in that regard, and she kind of regretted that they were sworn enemies. Perhaps if things were different, they could actually be friends…

Lila shook herself and pushed the thought away. Marinette was better than she thought, it seemed, and she’d actually almost believed her. Squaring her jaw, she reaffirmed her mission as she paid for the earrings and accepted the bag from the cashier. The time had come to settle this once and for all, and Lila didn’t intend to lose.

On the day of the party, Lila arrived with her gift in hand, masked with the smoothest poker face she could muster. If she managed to pull this off, then she’d never have to put up with Marinette again, and neither would anyone else. Thinking about it brought a sly curl to her lips that she quickly converted into a smile when Marinette spotted her from across the room and hurried over.

“You made it!” She said cheerfully, locking her arms around Lila’s neck in a tight embrace that felt all too real, and for a moment, Lila felt her brain scrambling, though she quickly focused back on her mission.

“Of course I did. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” She seemed pleased by that answer, and Lila felt a sick sense of satisfaction that Marinette didn’t suspect a thing.

“You can set your present over here,” Mrs. Cheng instructed politely, gesturing to the corner where a pile of brightly wrapped gifts sat by the window, and Lila carefully set hers among them.

All she had to do now was play it cool until it was time to open gifts, and she supposed grabbing a piece of cake wouldn’t hurt…

“Lila! What’s up, lil fox?” Kim greeted enthusiastically, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, and she noticed Max and Alix in tow.

“Just enjoying the party,” She said casually.

“Yeah, Marinette’s parents are the best. You should come to the next sleepover we have over here. Mr. Dupain makes us homemade pizza down in the bakery, and we have tea parties with Mrs. Cheng. It’s mostly a lot of boring boy talk and gossip, but last time Mylene and I pulled pranks when everyone went to sleep.” Alix smirked proudly.

“I’ll definitely ask Marinette about it,” Lila said with a nod, wincing slightly.

All of that sounded really fun, and she kind of wished that she could experience it at least once. She’d never really been to a sleepover before; since her parents moved around so much, it was hard for her to make friends. Just once she kind of wanted to know what that was like, and she eyed her present sitting in the corner with a conflicted frown.

“Hey, Max, come play Marinette in Ultimate Mecha Strike!” Alya called, tearing the trio away from Lila as they crowded onto the couch to watch. She moved to join them but was quickly overrun by Rose and Nino.

“Hey, Lila, how’s it going?” Nino extended a fist for her to bump.

“Uh, great.” She offered up the most convincing smile she could, though she could feel that it fell a little flat.

“Have you seen the cake Mr. Dupain baked? Isn’t it so amazing!” Rose squealed, pressing her hands to her cheeks. “It’s almost as sweet as Marinette.”

“You all think really highly of her, huh,” Lila remarked, curling her shoulders a little.

“Well, yeah. We’ve known Marinette since we were all little kids, and she’s always been there through thick and thin. When Max swallowed one of his baby teeth and cried, Marinette made him a friendship bracelet. One time Kim ripped his pants in gym class, and Marinette sewed them back up in like no time,” Rose explained, listing off on her fingers.

“Don’t you mean _every time_ Kim rips his pants in gym class?” Nino said with a smirk, and Rose conceded with a laugh. “Marinette is a real friend. She’s always there for everyone, and her positive mental attitude is why she’s the only girl in the class who hasn’t been akumatized. She’s immune to negativity.”

Lila glanced at the girl in question out of the corner of her eye watching as she and Max focused intently on their game. No one here had anything mean to say about Marinette. Was it possible that Lila had her pegged all wrong? Even Lila hadn’t been running a scheme that long, and she wasn’t even sure it was possible to fool so many people for so many years.

Perhaps Marinette had befriended her because she felt bad for everything she’d done as Ladybug and wanted a fresh start. Maybe all this time Lila had been imaging this war between them when in reality Marinette really did see her as a friend. If that were all true, Lila had to wonder when her own view of the world had become so warped. Was her perspective so damaged by her own intricate web of lies that she couldn’t tell the difference between fiction and reality anymore?

“You okay, Lila?” Rose asked, eyebrows knitting together in concern.

“Actually, uh, I’m not feeling that great. Can you tell Marinette I went home early?” She said, placing a hand over her churning stomach.

“Sure, thing.” Nino nodded with a sympathetic wince before she quietly stepped between them and made her way out the door.

As she climbed down the steps, her gut twisted in knots, and she felt like she was going to throw up. This whole charade that she was pulling suddenly felt like bricks on her shoulders as she finally confronted her own tainted sense of truth. All this time she’d been so focused on Marinette’s toxic side that she failed to see how much stronger it made her own.

Having dignitaries as parents forced her to move around a lot and kept her from making permanent friends, so each time she moved, she made it her mission to capture as much attention as she could. To be revered. After all, lying came naturally to her. Perhaps schmoozing was inherent as it was something her parents did well, or maybe she’d just gotten good at it over the years of having to pretend that being ripped away from anyone who ever got close to her didn’t bother her. Years of pretending to be the perfectly compliant daughter. Maybe she couldn’t recognize Marinette’s attempts at friendship because she’d never even known what a real friend looked like.

She played with her necklace absentmindedly, staring at the door at the bottom of the stairs as her web began to crumble. It had been so long since Lila had been genuine, and she hadn’t even realized how tired she’d become of playing games. How hollow all of those lies had made her, and how numb to happiness she’d become. For once in her life she wanted something real, but the only question was: how was she going to get it?

Glancing back up the stairs, she could still faintly hear voices singing to the birthday girl, realizing that once again she’d put herself on the outside looking in, and she wasn’t quite sure how to fix it. But she did have an idea of who would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I have been trying to muster up the motivation to finish this fic for like two months, but here we are. I am all finished with the Big Bang, so you can go read the fic I wrote for that, it’s titled Honey and Spice and is all about Alya and Chloe. My goal is to hopefully finish this fic up over the next couple months. Hopefully, if life cooperates, I’ll upload chapter 4 on the third Saturday of February and then chapter 5 on the third Saturday of March. If I happen to finish early which I doubt, I will post them earlier, but again I really don’t see that happening with life being what it is.  
> This is my last semester of college, so I’m kind of just trying to survive, but I do still want to write fics because it keeps me sane.  
> Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter! It’s a little bit angsty, and the next chapter will be as well, but the ending is happy I promise! In the meantime, feel free to check out some of my other stuff! I’m hoping to update Lady Luck sometime soon as well since it’s been a hot minute and I know several people really like that one, so that is next on the agenda.  
> Also! I’m hosting Rare Pair March this year, so check it out on tumblr at mlrarepairmarch! I will be doing my best to participate in all of the days of that, but given my track record for events, uh, well, I’ll do my best. >Fluff month, Crackmas, and Giftmas all stare incriminatingly at me from the corner< Anyway, see you all again soon with something!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The following Monday at school, Lila stuffed her books inside her locker with a dazed look in her eye. Her mind was still a mess of truth and lies, unable to distinguish between the two anymore. Who was she now without her façade? Somehow she’d lost sight of that pretending to be someone she wasn’t, and as a result, she didn’t know what to say or even how to fake a smile. She both longed to see Marinette and simultaneously dreaded it though it was for a different reason than normal now because now she was going to confess her sins to her and beg for forgiveness.

It was uncharted territory for Lila. Schmoozing was easy when it was fake, but Lila had never had to genuinely convince someone of something before. She felt so open and exposed as if everyone could see right through her, and it made her skin crawl. Was it too late to transfer schools? If ever she wanted to run away and forget a place, it was this one.

“Lila?” She startled, twisting around to see Marinette standing behind her with a worried expression. “Are you feeling better? Rose told me you felt sick on Saturday and had to leave early.”

Her brows were knitted together, eyes filled with concern, and Lila felt her heart skip. She should hate her face. She _wanted_ to hate her face. But she didn’t. Truthfully Lila had done a lot of thinking over the weekend, and the realization that Marinette’s actions had all been genuine and likely to make up for her behavior had flipped everything Lila had ever known on its head. No one had ever been her friend before. Not really anyways, and Lila wasn’t quite sure how to process it. She was, however, sure of one thing: she had developed a hopeless crush on Marinette overnight.

It made her whole confession scheme all the more daunting, though also all the more necessary. Lila had never been in love before. Not like this anyway. Sure, she’d set her sights on the hot popular types before, but it usually came with an ulterior motive. But this was different. This made her skin clammy and her hands shaky, and she didn’t know what to do with that.

“Yeah, I got a little stomach bug. I was over it in a day, so it’s fine now,” She said, the lie coming out smoothly, but her face quickly fell. “Um, I’m sorry I missed the rest of your party.”

“That’s okay. I’m just glad you’re feeling better.” Marinette placed her hands on Lila’s shoulders with a cheerful smile that made her spine stiffen. “Hey, why don’t you sleep over this weekend to make up for it?”

“Oh, uh, I- that sounds…great,” She stammered, and Marinette tilted her head to the side, slipping a hand under Lila’s bangs to press her hand to her forehead.

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright? You still feel a little warm.” Lila’s cheeks burned under her concerned gaze, and she swatted Marinette’s hand away.

“I’m fine, and I’ll totally be there Saturday,” She said, and Marinette’s sunniness returned easily.

“Awesome! I can’t wait; I can ask Papa to make my grandma’s pizza for us, and we’ll have tons of movies and games and-” She prattled on as they walked to class, and Lila rubbed her temple with an internalized groan.

This was going to be harder than she thought.

The longer she put it off, the more her guilt was going to eat at her, but there really wasn’t a good time to talk to Marinette alone. She really did know everyone at school, and there was always someone else nearby anytime Lila approached with even a fraction of the confidence she needed. But she had Saturday night to look forward to where she was certain to get Marinette alone if the wait didn’t kill her first.

The mixture of dread and eagerness was doing a number on her mental health, but nonetheless she managed to survive until Saturday. She spent the day watching the clock impatiently until it was finally time to go to Marinette’s house. Her parents weren’t home, as usual, so she locked up and headed out.

“You’re here!” Marinette pulled her into a tight hug the moment she opened the door.

“I told you I would be,” Lila said, patting her back awkwardly.

“Come on in! Papa is almost done with the pizza, and I downloaded that Italian love drama that you recommended,” Marinette said, taking her wrist and pulling her inside.

“Welcome, Lila,” Mrs. Cheng greeted with a smile. “Don’t be shy just make yourself at home.”

“Thanks,” Lila said, twisting the strap on her duffle bag in knots.

“It’s always good to have another Italian in the house,” Her father commented with a grin. “I’ve been perfecting a Bolognese for quite some time now, and I’d love to get your opinion of it sometime.”

“Uh, sure.” Lila nodded, and Marinette placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Come on, you can put your bag up in my room,” She said, pointing up the stairs, and Lila followed after her like a baby duckling.

Her parents were so warm and welcoming, and it weirded Lila out a little bit but in a good way she supposed. It was nice to have people interested in her comfort and, as the proper Italian that Mr. Dupain was, her hunger level. Every time she turned around almost they offered her tea and cookies, bread, cheese, cake, and Lila hadn’t eaten so much since Christmas at her grandmother’s house.

“Well, we’re going to go clean up downstairs while you two watch your movie. Let us know if you need anything,” Mrs. Cheng said as Marinette flopped on the couch beside Lila with a bowl of popcorn.

“Okay. Thanks, Mama,” She said, nodding over her shoulder as her parents retreated downstairs. “Sorry, I know they can be a bit overwhelming sometimes.”

“It’s okay. They’re nice,” Lila said, hugging her knees to her chest.

“What are your parents like?” Marinette asked, clicking the remote to turn on the TV.

“They’re…busy.” Lila shrugged, and Marinette winced apologetically as if she’d broached a sensitive subject which, she had, but Lila wasn’t going to guilt her about it. “They just work a lot that’s all. It’s no biggie.”

“I’m sorry. That must be really lonely,” Marinette said, reaching out to place her hand over Lila’s gently, and Lila fixed her gaze on it, cheeks flushing a little.

“Sometimes, but I manage.” She shrugged. Not very well, as it seemed, but she was hoping to work on that.

“You’re always welcome here if you ever want some company,” Marinette said, and Lila opened her mouth to confess her sins only to be interrupted by the title screen music of their movie.

She faced forward as Marinette hit play and clamped her mouth shut, heart hammering in her chest. Close, but Lila needed more time to find her courage. Sleepovers were a place for really personal and intimate heart-to-hearts, right? Wasn’t that more or less why truth or dare was invented? At least she had cheesy Italian romance to calm her nerves for a while. If only her problems could be solved as simply as the ones in movies.

When the movie finally ended, it was getting late, and Marinette suppressed a yawn. Lila’s pulse quickened, a lump forming in her throat as Marinette turned off the television and turned to her. Should she say it now? _Could_ she say it now? They were alone, but was Lila ready to deal with the consequences of what she had to say?

Worst case scenario, Marinette threw her out and never spoke to her again, but on the other hand, she could totally forgive her then they could enjoy a wonderful evening together. And Lila would be rid of all of her guilt, but the ever looming threat of the first scenario made her stomach churn.

“You ready for bed?” Marinette asked, stretching her arms over her head, and Lila nodded, standing up and heading for the stairs.

“Hey, Marinette…” She blurted boldly before she could overthink it, stopping short on the steps.

“Yeah?” Marinette glanced up at her and cocked a brow.

“Can I tell you something?” She asked, clutching fistfuls of her pajama pants to keep her hands from shaking.

“Of course, what is it?” She prompted with an encouraging smile, and Lila bit her lip, swallowing back a lump in her throat.

“I-I…” Her bravery was cut short when Mr. Dupain’s footsteps sounded in the hallway and seconds later the front door opened.

“Hey, girls, having fun?” He beamed, strolling in casually.

“Yeah, I think we’re gonna head to bed,” Marinette said as her dad filled a cup with water and tipped it back.

“Can I ask you a favor?” He asked, rinsing the cup and setting it in the dishwasher.

“Sure, Papa, what’s up?” Marinette paced down a few steps to meet him.

“I hate to ask this of you, sweetie, but can you repair my apron sometime soon?” Her father asked with an apologetic wince, holding it out to her, and Marinette accepted it without hesitation.

“Of course, Papa. I’ll sew it up tonight,” She said as if it weren’t a big deal.

“It can wait until tomorrow since you have a friend over,” He insisted, waving his hands frantically.

“It won’t take me long,” She said, examining the tear.

“If you’re sure…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Thank you, honey.”

“You’re welcome, Papa.” She stretched up to peck his cheek before following Lila up the stairs to her room. “Good night!”

“Good night.”

“You don’t have to stay up with me,” Marinette said retrieving her sewing kit.

“It’s fine. I’m not tired yet,” She insisted, politely omitting the fact that she was too anxious to fall asleep as of late.

They were alone now, and yet Lila couldn’t bring herself to say much. She couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth. Maybe it was because she wanted to cling to this normalcy and camaraderie for as long as she could since she’d never had real friendships like this before. But this wasn’t real because Lila had always just told lies and put on a face. She’d been so absorbed in her mission that she missed the first opportunity she had to make real friends, and once she told Marinette the truth, she was certain that everything was going to change between them. So, if she were being honest, the real reason she couldn’t bring herself to do it was because she was a coward. Lies were comfortable, and they were all she’d ever known. Even if Marinette forgave her, Lila would start her journey down a long and unfamiliar road, and it terrified her.

So she sat quietly on the chaise next to Marinette, watching her fix the stitching on her father’s apron, wallowing in self-pity and regret until she’d finally finished and stretched her arms above her head with a yawn.

“Ready for bed?” Marinette asked, and Lila nodded, so she stood up to put away her supplies before they both crawled into her bed. “I’m really glad you came tonight. It’s been fun to spend time together with just the two of us.”

“Yeah…” She winced, settling down on her side, and Marinette laid beside her, her face only inches away enough that her breath swirled around Lila’s cheeks.

“I’m really glad that we’re friends, Lila,” She said, taking Lila’s hands in her own. “I hope we can become even closer.”

Lila pressed her lips into a firm line, studying the look in Marinette’s eyes. They were always filled with so much light when they looked at her, and she wondered how anyone could convey such genuine emotion like that. She envied her, her life, her loving relationship with her parents…Deep down it was something that Lila had always wanted but never gotten, so she’d adapted to the life she had. So maybe, if she were lucky, if she hoped and prayed hard enough, she could have a life like Marinette’s someday. A life with friends and happiness and love.

She gave Marinette’s hand a gentle squeeze, a small smile curling on her lips. “Me too.”

Marinette seemed pleased by her response, and she reached up to turn off the light before settling in contently. Lila waited until her breathing slowed and evened out before blinking her eyes open again. She reached out to brush strands of hair behind Marinette’s ear, running her thumb over the earrings. A week ago, Lila would have jumped at such an opportunity to have Marinette so vulnerable before her, such an easy target for her sleight of hand, but things were different now, and Lila couldn’t bring herself to do it. Not after everything Marinette had done for her.

Ladybug had humiliated her on her first day, but Marinette helped her move past that and do something Lila had never done before. Every day when she went to school now, people stopped her in the halls to tell her good morning or compliment her outfit. She had people to sit with at lunch who weren’t just interested in the fantastical stories she had to tell. People who cared about more than just her lies.

In a weird way, Lila was grateful that Ladybug had called her out because if she hadn’t then Lila wouldn’t be lying in a bed with a friend, but rather, she’d likely be at home, alone with nothing but fake admirers and two busy parents. In an instant that road seemed a lot less daunting, and Lila realized that maybe she’d been taking steps down it all this time without realizing.

Because she did find Kim’s jokes funny and Nino’s remixes catchy. She cared about Rose’s letters to Prince Ali, Alix’s new rollerblades, and Max’s newest high score on Ultimate Mecha Strike. Maybe in her mind she’d been pretending at first, but maybe there was also something genuine inside her, and she just didn’t know how to recognize it.

She let her hand drop back onto the pillow, leaving the earrings right where they belonged. Marinette really was a hero, and she’d saved Lila from herself.

When morning came, Lila pulled the blanket over her head to shield herself from the sunlight streaming in through the skylight. Marinette still slept peacefully beside her, and she felt her heart flutter in her chest. Never before in her life had Lila wanted something so badly as she did a fresh start with Marinette. A fresh start with herself. Maybe she wasn’t certain who she would be or where she would end up, but she hoped in her mind that she could be more like Marinette. Genuine, caring, honest. Someone worth loving and being friends with.

Confessing her wrongdoings was only the beginning, and she silently hoped that Marinette could forgive her. After all, she’d forgiven her once already and seemed to like her well-enough now. And for what it was worth, Lila had forgiven her too, and it was a weight lifted from her shoulders. She hadn’t realized how heavy a grudge could be until she finally stopped carrying one.

“Girls! Breakfast!” Mrs. Cheng called up the stairs, and Marinette shifted in her sleep, eyelids fluttering open a few moments later.

“Good morning,” She yawned, stretching her legs out.

“Morning,” Lila said groggily, rubbing her eyes.

“Did you sleep okay?” Marinette asked, sitting up. “I didn’t hog the bed, did I?”

“No, you were fine,” She insisted, shaking her head. “I hope that I didn’t steal the blanket too much.”

“Honestly if you did, I didn’t notice. Once I’m asleep I’m completely out.” She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. “Are you hungry? I’m sure Papa baked us something for breakfast.”

Lila detected the faint smell of bread, and her stomach growled embarrassingly loud. Marinette giggled as she clamped her hands over it, cheeks flushing. She seemed so relaxed, the polar opposite of the storm raging inside Lila’s mind. Would she be able to smile so care freely one day too?

“Good morning, girls,” Mrs. Cheng greeted as they climbed down the stairs.

“Morning, Mom.” Marinette pecked her cheek before taking a seat at the table, decorated with fresh fruit and bread.

Everything in their life was so warm and filled with love. As Marinette sliced pieces of bread, Mrs. Cheng poured them tea, and Lila felt a bit overwhelmed. She wasn’t used to dining with other people at breakfast as her parents just took their cups of coffee to go. Only on holidays would her whole family get together to share a meal.

“Did you two sleep okay?” Mrs. Cheng asked, taking a sip of her tea. “You didn’t stay up all night gossiping, did you?”

“No, we went to bed, and I fixed Papa’s apron for him,” Marinette said, slathering her slice with jam before taking a bite.

“I’m sure he’ll be happy to get it back.” She perked up. “I’ll go run it down to him and let you girls finish eating.”

“Okay. It’s on my desk next to my sewing machine,” Marinette instructed as her mother disappeared up the stairs, and Lila waited until she returned all the way down to the bakery before flicking her gaze to Marinette.

“Alya and the girls are going to the pool today, do you want to come?” She asked, scrolling through her messages on her phone.

“S-Sure.” She nodded, rubbing her sweating palms on her fleecy pajamas.

“Awesome! I’ll let them know,” She said, keys clacking as she typed a quick response.

“Um, actually, can I tell you something first?” Lila started, swallowing back the lump in her throat.

“Sure,” Marinette said, sobering and turning to face her fully.

“I want to be honest with you, for once, because I see now how petty I’ve been, and I want to be better.” Marinette tilted her head a little in confusion but listened intently nonetheless. “I know your secret, Marinette. I have for a while…”

“M-My secret?” Her eyebrows raised in surprise as a nervous grin crept over her lips.

“I saw you in the library the day after I arrived at school. I know that you’re Ladybug.” Marinette’s eyes widened worriedly, and Lila averted her gaze with a shrug. “It’s fine. I’m not going to tell anybody, but I want you to know something about me that might ruin our friendship, but I’m tired of pretending. For once in my life, I want something real.”

She paused for a moment as Marinette’s jaw closed, and she nodded for Lila to continue.

“When I found out who you were, I was angry because I felt like you were befriending me to mock me, and I thought that everything you were doing was fake. So I pretended to be your friend hoping to get back at you for everything you did to me, and I hated your guts because no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t beat you.” She gripped her pajamas nervously, gaze locked on the table. “I even planned to steal your earrings from you so that you couldn’t be Ladybug anymore. That’s why I gave you those stupid fake ones for your birthday. I thought that you were like me, and that you had everyone wrapped around your finger because you made them revere you. But I was wrong.

“People like you because you care. They’re your friends because you’re always standing up for them and putting your neck out for them. You’ve never been fake to any of them, and when I realized that, I was ashamed. You have everything I’ve always wanted, and I’ve been really jealous of you all this time. And you’ve only ever been nice to me and been my friend, and I-I…” She ran a hand across her cheek, feeling something hot and wet touch her skin, lip quivering, but she continued. “I don’t want to pretend anymore. I want to be more like you. I want to be honest and have friends, and I want to be friends with you. For real this time, but I understand if you hate me.”

Marinette sat in stunned silence for a moment while Lila hiccupped and whimpered pathetically before she reached out to place her hand over Lila’s with a sympathetic smile.

“I don’t hate you,” She said gently, scooting closer. “In fact, I don’t blame you. The things Ladybug said to you- the things _I_ said to you were harsh and uncalled for. The truth is, I was jealous of you and worried that you were going to steal Adrien away from me, and I got angry and lashed out at you.”

“You had every right to. I was using you to make myself look better because I never expected Ladybug to drop out of the sky and call me out like that.” She rubbed her nose and sniffled. “I hated you so much when I found out. I hated you more than anyone, but I couldn’t- you’re so genuine and honest, and I’ve never had that before. I want to hate you, but I can’t.”

She paused to take a breath. “I realized that I can’t hate you because I love you. I love you, and I want to be with you, but I know I don’t deserve you.”

“We’ve both done things we aren’t proud of, but I’m willing to put it behind us if you are.” Lila glanced up to meet her kind gaze, feeling her tears welling up again. “Honestly, I was expecting you to confess your feelings to me all this time, but I never expected that you knew my secret…I felt a little guilty too knowing what I did to you as Ladybug before I even knew you. Because once I got to know you, I couldn’t help but fall for you.”

“I don’t deserve someone like you,” She wailed, burying her face in Marinette’s chest. “You’re so nice and gentle and caring, and I’m so horrible and mean and I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for lying to make myself look better. I’m sorry I pretended to be your friend. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“I don’t think you’re horrible.” Marinette shook her head, running her fingers through Lila’s hair. “You’ve done horrible things and been mean, but that doesn’t mean that has to be who you are. You can change all that and turn that girl you’ve been pretending to be into the real you.”

“I don’t know how,” She said, sitting up, and Marinette cupped her face, brushing a tear from her cheek.

“Then it’s a good thing you’ve got me,” She said with a laugh. “Because I love you too, Lila, and I’m willing to help you so long as you want to be better.”

“I do. I want to be someone who deserves your love,” She whimpered, and Marinette took her hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. “I don’t know who I am without all of my lies, but I know that I want to be more open and honest with others and with myself.”

Marinette smiled brightly, and for the first time in a long time, Lila smiled too. Not out of want for something or to manipulate someone into getting her way, but out of happiness. Her chest was warm and overflowing with happiness and light, and tears streamed down her cheeks as Marinette held her close. There she was safe, and there she was loved, and she had a lot of work to do.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I decided to go ahead and finish this one out this chapter because I'm trying to clear my plate so I can move onto other things. This one was actually kind of hard to write because it's a lot of Lila-meta so I constantly had to put myself in that mindset and then think about whether or not it made sense or sounded repetitive or if her thoughts were justified and believable if that makes sense.  
> But there is a happy gay ending, and I can finally put this one to bed. Hopefully you've all enjoyed the ride. I know the ending is probably rushed, but it is what it is. I have a million other ideas in my brain that I want to get around to, but I don't want to leave a lot of things unfinished which is why I'm kind of taking the summer to finish out several of my ongoing wips as well as doing some new stuff. Don't hate me XD


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